Chapter Text
It was quiet in their room, that day.
Much like it had been on any other day, really.
For Quirrel, no matter how unfortunate it was and no matter how much he did not want it to be, this had become normal to him. The stillness in the room he had long shared with his wife, simply because even after the spell was cast in the hopes to wake her– she was still very much asleep.
That day, the Snail Shaman simply shrugged at them and told them that it could take some time for it to come into effect, that her body would need to wake up on its own. As hopeful as Quirrel was, he was truly unsure that the shaman even knew what they were talking about. They never mentioned any bit of this when they first appeared in the palace, proposing the idea, sounding ever so sure of themself then.
It was exactly why they remained within the palace; admittedly, it was a forceful thing, and it was completely against their will. But it was to ensure that they would be dealt the correct punishment if this spell did not work, for giving them all false hope for the queen's awakening. For the time being, they were stuck within the palace doctor and its midwives shared quarters, who made the fierce promise that she’d eat them if the queen did not stir. And it… appeared that not a soul was against that sentiment.
…
But as it stood for Quirrel himself, he had been sitting at his wife's bedside, clutching one of her hands in his own. A common thing he found himself doing, alongside watching her closely, just to remind himself that she was still very well alive, even if it didn’t seem it. He’d sit here with her for long periods of time, observing how she was still breathing, although shallowly. But she was still alive.
He did not want to think of the scenarios in which she’d never wake or worse, she’d stop breathing altogether. But he simply couldn’t help but think that way… what would they do without Hornet? What would he do without Hornet? He had been without her before, for almost as long as he’d been without her now… but she came back that time. She miraculously returned, facing all the odds, even having saved the kingdom she was abducted to in the process. Bringing some of its bugs along with her as well!
Hornet was capable of so much; she had been through so much and managed through those situations she was forced to confront with evident ease. So then why, why now could she not wake? Was the wound she sustained at the hands of that… queen truly so severe? To his knowledge, by now it should have been healed– though no doubt leaving a considerable scar on her abdomen– but it should not have been an issue to her anymore. Creslin told him as much; after all, it was the palace doctor who spent hours upon hours mending the wound.
Quirrel could only sigh, squeezing her hand a little tighter… his hope was slowly dwindling, and he did not know how much longer he could go on like this. All he could do now was lower his head and rest momentarily, His only company being the constant drumming of the rain upon the windows, alongside the near-quiet rattling of the unraveling spool of silk that aided in keeping Hornet alive.
“... Father?”
Quirrel perks up, his eyes drifting to the figure standing in the doorway.
Hera, his oldest child and the one who was currently managing the kingdom in Hornet’s place as temporary queen. It was always Hornets' intention to have their daughter take up this mantle many years in the future… but that plan was somewhat foiled now by the fact that Hera had been queen for the months that her mother lay asleep.
Hornet never wanted her to have this responsibility so early in life due to how her own lifespan was long from over, wishing not only for Hera but for their other children to live their lives freely. Working so hard to ensure it so, even as their eldest two were adults already. All he knew for certain was that even in his own peculiarly extended lifespan, they would all come to outlive him. Doubtful that he’d even be there to witness his daughter be formally crowned when the time came…
“Oh, Hera,” Quirrel replies, voice kind and upbeat as usual, betraying how miserable he was feeling right now. He did not want to show that in front of his daughter; it’d do her no good to see her father as downcast as he honestly was. She simply did not need that from him.
“How is she?” She asks, slowly entering the room to stand at his side.
“She’s the same as always, I’m afraid,” He lets out a small exhale, looking back at his wife.
“Well, it’s better than anything else. Anything… negative…” The words drift off, and she's quiet for a moment before she continues, “Anyway! Have you eaten today, father? I was just going to eat dinner, and I haven’t seen you at all today.”
Quirrel lets out a sheepish chuckle, not being able to really face her when he admits, “I… I’m afraid I’ve not.”
“Father…” His daughter shakes her head disappointedly and lays a gentle hand on his shoulder, “I know well you worry about her, I do too… we all do. But you really need to take care of yourself, I’ve had to tell you this… gods, I don’t know how many times.”
“I know I know… I’m sorry…” It felt horrible being a burden to her; after all, Hera had so much on her plate already. But Quirrel could not help but spend much of his time sitting at Hornet's side, holding her hand as he always did, in that ever so vain hope of her waking…
“There’s no need to apologize, just– we have to hold onto the hope that she’ll wake. I still don’t really trust that shaman, but… we’ve come so far, we can’t lose hope now. I’ve never lost hope in her, mother that is, she’s so strong. She’s always been so strong. She’ll… She’ll rouse when she’s ready… I know she will.”
Hera’s admiration for Hornet was so great, she had always looked up to her mother ever since she was but a hatchling. It wasn’t hard for him to tell that she was struggling with the fact that Hornet, as strong as she truly was, was capable of being dragged down to the state she was in currently. He felt so horrible for his daughter, for all of their children– to have to see their mother like this… and he knew well Hornet never wanted them to see her like this either. This situation was just so, so incredibly difficult for all of them.
And yet, although having been put under immense stress, Hera’s optimistic nature never faltered. That was the difference between the two of them, between her and him.
“Come now, father,” Hera then moves to grab one of his arms and tugs it gently, “You need to eat, I won’t bother you after you do, I promise, but a meal would really do you well right now.”
“Of course, of course, I suppose I am quite famished I realize,” He complies, not one to say no to his daughter as he rises out of his chair, “And you can tell me how your day has been. Being queen is truly difficult, isn't it?”
Hera nods fervently, “Absolutely! It’s– I am still so, so curious about how mother has managed all of this so far and for so long. Doing it all myself has been so painful and horrendous, but it’s gotten easier because of those retainers I hired.”
“I see, I see…” He himself nods along as he listens, “They’ve lessened your workload, hm?”
“Yess!! Completely! The amount of paperwork I have to go through is so much less because they are so good at going through much of it for me, only giving me the important things I actually need to look at…”
The conversation continued as the two left the room, Quirrel listening as Hera rambled on about the further happenings of her day. Though before they had left, he could not help but spare a glance back at Hornet– letting out another small sigh at her still, lying figure. All would be well, he told himself, all would be well… she would wake in her own time. She would.
“...ake up…”
“Are you hearing me…?”
“Wake up!”
…
“They’re all waiting for you, Hornet…”
“Please… my daughter…”
“Wake up!”
…
She swore… that voice was familiar…
Who…
…
… Mother…?
Slowly, slowly… her eyes would open.
Her vision was blurry; the lumafly lantern above her was far too bright for her liking, causing her to shift her head over to the side. But in doing that, she quickly realized how badly her body ached.
…
Hornet rightfully assumed she had been asleep for a long, long time. It had felt that way, though at the same time, she felt like she was not rested at all. Exhaustion wracked her frame, but as she had just woken up from a far too long slumber– she fought against her eyes that threatened to close once more. Fought against the fatigue that tried to plunge her back to rest, wanting so badly to know what was going on at all.
It was quiet.
Very quiet.
The only things she could pick up were the all too familiar pitter-pattering of rain on the windows around her, and a vague rattling sound not far from her.
The room smelled fragrant, very fragrant– it quickly became apparent to her that someone had the very intelligent idea to fill the room with far too many flowers for her to be able to process. It was incredibly overwhelming, but right now, there was nothing Hornet could do about any of it…
…
Wait…
…
What happened?
She… all she knew before this, before everything went dark… she was on the frontlines during the battle against that… empire that dared try to take over her kingdom. For such selfish reasons, too, still baffled by the queen's reasoning during their first proper meeting. Needing more land to house the empire… they were simply far too lazy to dig themselves a home and sought to claim the work of other bugs.
…
What happened to her…
A memory flashed in her mind; she was on the frontlines, yes, leading her army in battle. But soon the battle erupted into chaos, and she found herself lost in the crowd of battle. But in the corner of her eye, she saw that… damned queen in the midst of battle with her son.
…Her son…
…Her eldest son, strong as he was, was no doubt going to be killed by this woman. It was as if she moved on instinct, leaping off her steed and throwing her needle in their direction. What happened next was much more… shaky to her… perhaps because she was in great pain. Stabbed straight through, pain blooming in her abdomen, and she was thrown to the ground afterwards.
As much as she fought to stay conscious, her body had given up on her.
That's all she knew.
…
What.
What happened to her son? What happened to Indigo??
What happened to everyone?
Was– was the war still going on outside?!
Her breathing quickened. Why– why was she just lying here useless when her loved ones were possibly getting hurt?!
She tried to move, but her body still ached with inaction– and in the end, the most she could do was continue to lie there in all her uselessness.
Hornet questioned and questioned and desperately wanted answers, but she was fully unaware of when or if anyone would come answer them. Anyone at all. She felt so, so incredibly alone at this moment.
…
Gradually, she felt herself calm, if only slightly. Those overwhelming thoughts did her no good, but certainly– certainly… hopefully someone would come up here and tell her everything. Fighting sleep all the while, forcing herself to stay awake in wait.
And perhaps the world was being kind to her on this day.
After what felt like an eternity of waiting, she heard the all too familiar sound of the elevator steadily moving its way up to her floor until it stopped. Someone was coming… it could’ve been anybody. Hornet craned her neck forward to better see who this figure was and…
A great part of her was incredibly happy that it was who she wished it was.
He was carrying… more flowers. An ornate vase full of them, seeming so lost in thought all the same. Her husband, love him as she always would, looked awful in his own right. He did not seem to be doing well in the slightest. Hornet could read him like a book, and she assumed that her current predicament was the source of his woes.
To the point where he had yet to notice she was awake just yet…
Speaking proved somewhat difficult, working her vocal cords after what felt like an age of disuse. But she forced herself to speak, calling out to him in a hoarse voice
“…Qu–Quirrel…?”
Upon hearing this voice, Quirrel's eyes darted upwards, and he immediately dropped the vase he had just been carrying into the room. It shattered on the floor, but that did not matter to him at all– for before him was something he had only dreamed of these past months.
She was still lying down, but Hornet… his most beloved person… gods above, she was awake.
He couldn’t stop himself from completely disregarding the mess he had made on the floor, stepping over said mess to race over to her bedside. Without much warning, he just about launched himself at her, trying his hardest to be gentle but not being able to help himself from squeezing her so tightly in a hug.
Hornets' movements were slow, but she’d hug him back– though with much less urgency than he did with her. Quirrel buried his head in her shoulder, the tears that spilled from his eyes staining not only the fur there– but the pillow behind her.
“Oh… Oh, thank goodness…” He muttered as he sobbed, “... I thought I had lost you– oh thank everything…I… I thought you’d never wake up…”
“Quirrel…” She spoke again, a hand patting his back to get his attention, and he shifted to face her directly.
“Y-Yes, love?”
“... Indigo… what… where– where is he?” Panic was unmistakable in her tone, fear painted all over her face. It was a reasonable thing; she had no clue what had gone on since…
“Our son is fine, Hornet, he’s fine. Everyone… everyone is fine. They’re all alive. And more importantly, you’re alive… oh thank goodness…” He couldn’t help but go back to being so incredibly happy she was awake right now, hugging her a little tighter and burying his face in her chest.
His wife let out a relieved sigh, and he swore he heard her mutter a quiet ‘ thank wyrm… ‘ as one of her hands found itself rubbing the back of his head slowly. They remain like that for a time, soaking up one another's presence– and well- the fabric of the garment she wore certainly soaking up Quirrel's tears too. But it was not as if she minded; she would’ve let him know if she did.
“I am… sorry. I must’ve worried all of you…I had never… expected that to happen.”
Quirrel removes himself from her, although that’s not to say he’s far from her at all. Holding one of her hands as he always did, he’d shake his head,
“There is no need to apologize at all, love. No one is angry with you; moreover, we’ve all been so very worried… we…none of us expected this either.”
“I figured… what… happened after I protected our son?”
He… was unsure if he should tell her the whole of what happened just yet. It was a long story to tell, and he wasn’t sure if Hornet was prepared to hear all of it right now. From the ritual and the need to obtain the ant queen's heart for it to be its conduit, to Ghost using their large god-like form to finally chase the ants away– and… Hollow having faced off with the ant queen themself within her quarters and obtaining her heart with ease. Not to mention the fact that their son had tried to do this himself, accompanied by his closest friend, who was Quirrel's student, and that they could’ve very well died.
…
That would be quite a lot to explain to her… he’d leave it for later.
“It’d be a lot to tell you if I’m honest, Hornet.”
“Hmph… well, can I ask about the kingdom, then?”
“Everything is relatively well there, with some bumps in the road… but well regardless. In fact, Hera has been acting in your place ever since you fell.”
She blinks, surprised, “What?”
“She’s done excellently so far! It has been… difficult for us all, but like I’ve said, we’ve been managing well enough and waiting for you to wake. You’d be happy to know she’s made very meaningful improvements on ah… certain things. Such as hiring retainers, I feel that has been a long time coming…” He finds himself chuckling at that last bit.
“... I had never thought to do so; it is… easier to do the work myself,” Hornet replies, as if her overworking herself is normal. Well, it had been normal to her.
“My dear, it has made you stay up into the very late hours of the night… countless times. Our daughter is unlike you, inexperienced as she is, and it makes things for her much easier.”
“It is to be expected,” Hornet sighs, squeezing his hand, “I… I never wanted this for her so soon.”
“I know, Hornet.”
Silence fell between them again, though Quirrel's eyes were still focused on her completely.
…
“Quirrel?”
“Yes?”
She was hesitant, but relented in asking, “... How long have I been in this state…?”
“... ah, it has been… several months, Hornet.”
…
“By wyrm…”
“... Are you alright with that? So much time lost, that is… It’s a lot to take in, I’m certain.”
“I will come to accept it, I figured it would be a sizable span of time...” A sigh escapes her, “... there is much I need to do now, I have to take back the mantle of queen. Hera needs not worry herself with issues that are my own to handle. ”
So soon after she had just awoken? He could not have this.
“No no, right now all you need to do is rest,” Quirrel asserts, “And even when you are better, you need to take a further recess from your duties… for your sake and ours. You’ve done so much already.”
She stares back at him, a challenging glint in her eye– but soon she relents with a sigh, laying her head back.
“... Fine.”
“Are you angry with me?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Far from it, I am merely too exhausted to argue with you.”
A small laugh escapes from him, “Ah yes, I’m certain. Or perhaps I am simply right and you don't want to admit it."
“... you are simply awful…”
“And yet I, such an awful person, am your husband,” Quirrel lifts her hand to kiss the back of it teasingly.
“Tragically,” Hornet averts his gaze, gods above, he loves this woman.
“Tragically?!”
“Yes,” She confirms, though she says it in distinct jest.
Before he could feign offense and act quite dramatically, it quickly became evident to him that they would be receiving another visitor. Quirrel hadn’t minded the fact that someone else would be up here to witness the miracle of Hornets' awakening, but he wished she could have just a bit more time adjusting to being awake again before then. Perhaps it was selfish of him, but he wanted her to have a tinge more calm before everything went into chaos when everyone found out… when the entire kingdom found out.
“...Father?” A voice called out, oh gods above, it was Hera– “I am sure you’re back up here– I was just wondering if you wanted to share some honeycakes with me because I have some left ove–”
And as she entered his view, she immediately stopped in the doorway at the sight of Hornet, “rrrrr— M-MOTHER?!”
“It is nice to see you, my little spiderling,” Hornet greets rather straightforwardly, voice full of affection.
…
Their daughter's eyes were wide in surprise, hands noticeably shaking.
And much like Quirrel had done, she immediately dropped the plate of honeycakes she was holding to bolt to the other side of her mother's bed– not long after throwing herself in her arms and crying loudly. Gods, he wondered if it could be heard even in the lower levels of the palace.
He could only imagine what the others' reactions would be, and if they’d have the same reaction… time would tell, time would tell. All he knew now was that Hornet minded none of this, happily holding her daughter who blubbered and wept on her shoulder.
… What a relief, things were finally going to go back to normal.